Another trip to Rye Meads, this time with my friends Gerd and Roger - it turned out to be a beautiful hot sunny afternoon, the first of the 'summer'.
Once again we were lucky enough to see a Kingfisher after just a few minutes wait:

A Common Tern was performing acrobatics . . .

Common Tern

.. even the resident Grey Heron looked impressed!

This strange bird is an Egyptian Goose. They are usually kept in captive collections, but this one did not have the obligatory leg ring:

There were also two Green Sandpipers (who never actually look green) - this one with the spotted back is probably a juvenile passing through from the breeding grounds.

Green Sandpiper

All young birds have an 'AAAWWW' factor:

Mallard

Coot

Even this young Kestrel which has climbed out of its nest box manages it:

Kestrel

But I'm not sure about this Black-headed Gull chick:

Black-headed Gull

Some of the latest flowers on the reserve, with a Common Carder Bee on the Tufted Vetch:

Yellow Flag Iris

Tufted Vetch Vicia cracca

Welted Thistle Carduus crispus

Finally, a nice shot of a male Scorpion Fly showing the tail that gives it its name: